Dear Father
by AutumnSkyy
Summary: Lana knew that if she kept insisting she would have given in. She couldn't allow herself that decision. For Wendy and those women who could fall victims to him. She did not want another woman to go through what she or Wendy went through. It would be too much. So she would go through with it. She would raise Bloody Face's son.
1. CH 1- Born From Evil

Dear Father

**Chapter 1**- Born From Evil

At first she wanted nothing to do with the child. Even though she had just bought him in to the world and he had no faults, nor sins, she could not stand to hold him. Not even look at him. But the nurses pleaded her to give him warmth and nutrition. The little boy needed his mother. But Lana Winters knew she was not the mother this child needed. She could not love him for he was _his_ son. She was not fit to even care for a child. So she believed. It was when she finally held the child to feed him that something small sparked within her. Still, Lana cried silently as she fed her son, she couldn't bring her eyes to even look at his small serene face in fear that she would see him. Oliver Thredson. But after that moment something must have changed for she found herself wondering about the small boy's well being. His delicate little body rejected the formula and he wailed frantically for his mother. Lana resisted claiming that she would not feed him again. The little boy had no choice but to keep on crying.

It had been three days since her son was born and Lana had to make a choice. The day was gray and it would rain soon. "Here are the papers, Ms. Winters." The adoption agent said as she handed Lana a stack of papers. "Just sign them and he's off your hands." She smiled.

Lana looked at the blond woman and could not believe how casual she was about the whole thing. She sounded as if the baby was but mere trash and Lana would rid of him soon. Lana tried not to admit that the comment bothered her. She felt nothing for the child but a mere stranger insulting him was something else.

Lana hesitated to take the papers but she did and slowly read through them. "What will happen after I sign them?" She asked looking at the woman.  
"Well," the woman began, "You will lose all custody of the boy and he will be taken in to the system until he finds a suitable home."  
"He will find a suitable home, right?" Lana looked for the answer in the woman's faded brown eyes. She didn't know why she was even asking. She did not care about the child's fate.

The woman pressed her lips together not sure how to answer, "Adoption is a very slow process. There are many children in the system and many do not get placed right away. However, he's a precious little boy and shouldn't have a problem finding a home soon."

Lana kept her eyes on the woman. Somehow Oliver came to mind and she was almost sure they had told his mother the same thing when she dumped him in the system. But things did not turn out well for Oliver and that lead to many of his horrid problems. Lana could not deny she worried that the same thing would occur to the child she had just brought to life. The world did not need another Bloody Face. And that's when the realization hit her. She was the only one standing in the way of creating another monster. She had the power to stop it or the choice to let him go and wait years until the newspapers are filled with the dead bodies of women. Their future deaths lay upon her hands. Lana stopped long enough to look at the baby boy who lay in a tiny wheeled crib next to her hospital bed. It was the first time she had acknowledged his presence. She was not even sure when the nurses had brought him in or why.

"What will happen if he does not find a home?" She looked to the woman again.  
The woman sighed softly growing impatient. "I'm sure he will find a home but if he does not then he will remain in the system until the age of eighteen when he will be released in to society to fend for himself."

Lana's eyes fell down to the papers. She knew how likely stories were to repeat themselves and she did not want to risk it. She did not want to be the reason why mothers and fathers would lose their daughters. Why lovers would lose the women they adored. All because her son chose the footsteps of his father. But on the other hand she wanted nothing to do with him. She had no interest in caring for him or loving him. She wanted to rid herself of him and continued her broken life the best she could. The choice was a difficult one.

Lana handed the papers back to the woman, "I need more time to think about it."  
"But Ms. Winters-" The woman obliged but Lana would have none of it. "I need more time." She repeated. "Come back tomorrow or whenever you please. But not now."  
The woman had no choice but to collect the papers and leave the room.

Lana sighed in relief and lay back down. She had grown tired of the hospital room and kicked herself for not signing the papers when she had them. She wondered what stopped her. It was then the little boy stirred in his tiny crib. Of course, she thought, it was _him_. She did not know what compelled her to do so but she stood from the bed and looked down at the little boy. His tiny body squirmed under the thin blue blanket. He was awake and looking up at her. It was then Lana realized the boy had her eyes. She was taken back when a strange feeling overwhelmed her. She knew she never wanted to see the boy but now there she was looking straight in to his eyes. All that time she had been fearing to come face to face with Oliver Thredson but instead she saw a tiny helpless boy who looked at her with so much familiarity. He was still too small to know much but he did know she was his mother. And Lana knew he knew.

"No." She gritted through her teeth, "No, I cannot be your mother. I do not want to be." She said to him. The baby boy squirmed becoming desperate to feel his mother's touch. His little fists wailed in the air and he gave out a soft whine. "You don't understand." She continued, "You're _his_ son. I can't love _his_ son. I just can't." The tears began to fill her eyes and she felt the pain consume her once more.

Flashes of that horrible night filled her mind and she struggled to stay upright. But the baby was indifferent to his mother's suffering and only wanted her comfort. He gave out an impatient sound that only infuriated Lana even more. "I can't love you!" She cried silently.

By now the baby's patience had worn thin and he began to cry. His little lungs filled with air and covered the room in a piercing wail. Lana's frustration grew even stronger and she cried. Finally when she could not take it anymore she picked up the baby from the crib and held him before her, "Don't you understand?" She cried at him, "I _can't_ love you!"

The baby silenced his crying in to small whimpers. He felt himself in his mother's hands and settled against her skin. He opened his eyes and looked at her. When his eyes lay upon her searching for her face. Lana froze. The rain had begun to hit hard against the windows of the hospital room. It was then she thought of Wendy and what she would do. But Lana knew Wendy was stronger then she was to face something like this. Still, if Wendy was alive she would never allow Lana to abandon her son. No matter who his father was.

Something came over her and without realizing it she brought the baby to her chest, resting him protective against her. She then slowly slid against the wall until she was on the floor and commenced to cry. She began to realize that he was her son too. "What am I going to do?" She asked out loud, "What am I going to do with you?" She cried. The little boy rested comfortably in his mother's arms and slowly drifted in to a deep slumber.

"I changed my mind." Lana said to the adoption agent the following morning, "I'm keeping him."

She had made the choice the night before when she sat on the floor with the baby in her arms. She could feel his tiny body breathing against hers. She would have let him meet his fate on his own if it weren't for the memory of Wendy. Lana knew that Wendy would be looking down at her with so much disappointment and sadness. She could even hear her say, "This isn't the Lana I knew."  
Lana did not want to let her memory down. She had to be strong, for her.

The woman's jaw dropped with utter shock, "Bu-but-" She stuttered, "Ms. Winters, I-"  
"No buts," Lana interrupted her. "After a long night of thinking it through, I decided to keep my-" she paused for a moment struggling to say the word, "…son." she finally let it out. It felt strange and she thought it would burn her tongue when she said it.  
"Are you sure about this?" The woman asked. Lana had finally remembered her name; Ms. Anderson, Nancy Anderson.  
"Yes." Lana said firmly giving Ms. Anderson a frustrated look.  
But Ms. Anderson had no choice to put the papers back in to her suitcase. "If its what you want, Ms. Winters."  
"It is." Lana said but she wasn't sure if she was convincing herself or Ms. Anderson.  
"Alright then," She smiled and walked over to Lana to shake her hand, "Good luck, Ms. Winters. And remember, if you change your mind you know where to find me."  
Lana frowned lightly, "Goodbye Ms. Anderson."

And with that the woman exited the room. Lana could not believe her insistence to rid herself of the boy. Still, Lana knew that if she kept insisting she would have given in. She couldn't allow herself that decision. She had to keep this child. For Wendy and those women who could fall victims to him. She did not want another woman to go through what she or Wendy went through. It would be too much. So she would go through with it. She would raise Bloody Face's son.


	2. CH 2- Johnny Boy

**Dear Father  
**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own AHS

**Chapter 2**- Johnny Boy

It had been six weeks since Lana brought the baby to her new home. She could not bear to return to the home she shared with Wendy. Not with Oliver Thredson's child in her arms. It would be too much. And in those six weeks Lana struggled. At first all she could do was lie on the floor of her room and cry. The little boy would be in his basket crying for her. When Lana left the hospital she was to sign his name in the release papers. Since Lana had not even planned on keeping the child she had no name for him. She wrote down the first name that came to mind; Johnny. It was then upon reading the name on the paper that she realized that Wendy had once mentioned the name to her. Lana suddenly hated herself for it but by then it was too late.

"Johnny Winters," the nurse smiled looking at the baby in her arms, "It fits him."  
Lana forced a half smile and looked to the boy sleeping in her arms. Johnny Winters. Better then Johnny Thredson, she thought to herself but quickly snapped the thought away.

Now home with little Johnny, Lana could suffer in silence. She dreamed herself far away by now. Free to live her life and share her story with the world. She had hoped on writing a book about her life at Briarcliff and what Bloody Face had done to her. But since she had decided to keep Johnny, writing such a book would be too much of a risk. There would be a day when Johnny would be old enough to ask about his father, and another when he would discover the truth in her book. The truth that he was the son of a serial killer who raped his mother. Lana did not know if she could ever tell him that awful and disgusting truth. And she wanted to keep Johnny as far away from Oliver as possible. True, Lana thought him dead. He was. She had killed him. She was sure of it. Still, it often felt as if he were still around watching her. She did not want Johnny to ever know the truth about his father. There was still time to come up with something- anything- to tell him. It would be years before he even asked. Till then, Lana would keep him safe from the truth. Even if it meant keeping her story a secret.

Johnny's cries filled the entire house. Lana could hear him from her office space in the living room where she set up her typewriter. She sat there motionless unable to come up with anything. A cigarette lay between her fingers as smoke rose in the air. Smoking seemed to be the only thing that calmed her nerves. Especially since Johnny had her on edge. He had been crying nonstop since she brought him home. Lana knew it was her fault for she denied the baby much love or attention. She would remember the bond Oliver would speak of that formed when a mother would breast feed her child. She knew he was right when he said that bond was important but she had no interest to have that bond with Johnny. But there were moments when the boy would become so infuriated and hungry that Lana had no choice but to comply. She hated those moments. They brought her so much pain.

Lana remembered the first time she breastfed Johnny when she first brought him home. He had been crying for hours and she could not find a way to sooth him. He was only a week old and still so small and helpless. His pink skin begun to turn a soft fair color and the little hair he had was dark. He was less scrunchy and more alert of his surroundings. He was usually a calm baby but on that day he raised a storm like no other. He had spent the entire morning in a soiled diaper that Lana did not change for the heavy depression she was suffering from prohibited her from getting out of bed in the mornings. Postpartum depression was far worse then she had been lead to believe. And the depression weighed her down like nothing before.

Johnny's cries had finally snapped her out of her trance. She had no choice but to feed him. She cried silently the whole time and at night when Johnny lay peacefully and satisfied in his crib fast asleep, Lana lay on the floor of her room screaming all the frustration and pain in to her pillow. When she finally found the strength to get up around midnight she idly walked to Johnny's room where she stopped in front of his crib. She looked down to his sleeping face. She felt her grip tighten on the pillow in her hands.

"No baby should have to grow up knowing daddy is Bloody Face…" She said to herself looking down at the boy. She had said the words before and held firm to them. How she wished that coat hanger would have done its job properly. If she had succeeded that day she would not be here standing in front of Bloody Face's son. Slowly, she raised the pillow and imagined placing it over his sleeping face. It would be over within a matter of seconds.

But a voice stopped her, "Lana, please don't." It was Wendy's voice. Lana stopped herself immediately and looked at the pillow as if she had woken up from a horrible dream. Confused she let the pillow fall to the ground and her knees followed. She knelt before her son's crib and buried her face in her hands, defeated.

Lana tipped her cigarette over the ashtray, ignoring the memory and once again tried to concentrate on her work but Johnny's screams would not let her concentrate. It was times like these that she could imagine Oliver standing behind her saying, "You're not being a very good mother, Lana."

And Lana grew angry. "You're dead." She said smothering the cigarette in the ash tray, "Dead." The word was so cold coming from her lips.

Oliver then chuckled and said, "Oh, Lana Banana. Please take care of our son."

"_Our_ _son_." She gritted the words through her teeth, "He is not _our_ son. He is _my_ son."  
He would then respond by leaning in to her ear and speaking softly, "Then act like he is."  
Lana quickly snapped out of it and turned around to see no one there. How she wished he would disappear for good. Nevertheless, she stood to her feet and followed the child's cries.

Johnny lay in the crib of his empty room. Lana had never bothered to fill it with furniture or decorations. It remained with pale blue walls, a nightstand, and a closet with the little bit of clothes he had. She found him laying on his back kicking his feet in frustration. His little face was red with anger and his tiny fists tightened. Lana looked down at him but said and did nothing. All she could do was look at the child that kept her from moving on. When Johnny saw his mother standing over him he cried even louder and raised his arms to her.

"Pick him up, Lana." She heard Oliver's voice again.

Lana jumped at the imaginary voice in her head and turned around again. The room remained empty. Instead of picking him up Lana grabbed his pacifier and placed it in to his mouth in attempt to stop his crying. It was not long before Johnny spit it back out and commenced to cry.

"I can't work like this, you know." She spoke to him as if he understood what she was saying. Johnny settled his cries at the sound of her voice. He only wanted her affection. "If I can't write then I can't work. And if I can't work then we won't have any money." Johnny fussed and kicked his legs. His needs came first. Lana sighed and picked up the child. When he reached her arms he immediately stopped crying.

Lana took him to her room where she placed him on her bed and changed him. When she finished, Johnny looked at her with angry little eyes. Her eyes. Lana stood to her feet and paced around the room. It was time to feed him but she couldn't bring herself to do it the way she should so she left to the kitchen to prepare his formula. Johnny cried when she exited the room and did not stop until she returned. She picked him back up in to her arms, "Here" she placed the bottle to his mouth. Johnny declined the bottle at first but his hunger was too much and he succumbed. "There, that's not that bad, is it?" She hated herself for telling him that. However, Johnny quickly spit up the formula and began to cry.  
Lana groaned in frustration and cleaned him up. "I told you I wouldn't be a good mother." She said to him and stood from the bed. She walked to the empty side of the bed and sat down with Johnny cradled in her arms. His little expression was covered in anger and annoyance at his mother. She found it odd how such a little person could have such a strong personality. This was the hardest part for her; she hesitated every single time but Lana tried to think of Wendy and how she would want her to do right by her child. Lana sighed and looked at the bottle of formula lying on the bed useless; she asked herself why she even tried. She knew the outcome.

The room was silent. During his feedings, Lana would always avert her eyes but not this time. Something made her look down to the baby in her arms and she was surprised to see him looking back at her. His little hand lay in a fist on her chest and his breathing had settled to a calm. _He's beautiful_. The thought crawled in to her mind and she found herself tracing her finger along his soft plump cheek. His eyes followed hers with so much trust that Lana felt horrible for trying to smother him all those nights before. And she no longer felt the need to rid of him in such a horrible way; on the contrary she hated herself for even attempting it.

"Its not your fault, is it?" She asked him softly, "I'm sorry Johnny boy, Mom-…I forget sometimes."


	3. CH 3- Years Gone By

**Dear Father  
**_**A/N: **_**First of all I want to thank the person who gave me my first review and those of you who have followed/favored it! Thanks, it means a lot. Anyway, enjoy the story and let me know what you think~**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own AHS

**Chapter 3**- Years Gone By

Seven long years had passed since Lana decided to keep her son. She struggled greatly during the first months of his life and often found herself driving to the orphanage with the baby boy in a basket on the passenger's seat. But Lana could never bring herself to stop or get out of the car. She would pull over and scream in pure frustration waking up the baby from his slumber. And he would not stop crying until she took him in to her arms and the two cried together. But when the little boy fell fast asleep, her tears would continue. Lana often remembered the time she found herself standing over his crib at night when he slept peacefully; she held a pillow in her hands and had to fight the urge to smother him. There were so many times she imagined herself ending his life but could not make her dreams become reality. For when that boy looked at her with his big brown eyes she would see herself, behind them of course, would be Oliver. He was always there.

Now at the age of seven, Johnny was a funny little boy. He was smaller then the other boys his age and often weak due to his first years of malnutrition. Lana knew that was her fault and blamed herself for it. She knew he was also the reason why he had to carry an inhaler wherever he went. But Johnny was a precious boy with a darling face. His skin was fair and his hair dark and lush. He had the deep brown eyes of his mother but still, Lana often saw so much of Oliver in him. It was something she loathed. He was like him in so many ways that she wasn't sure if she should protect him more or reject him all together. Still, she loved him. She loved him more then she would have ever believed. Because she truly believed she could not love the child of Bloody Face. But he was also her son. And that meant something to her. She no longer felt the need to smother him or drop him at the doors of an orphanage. His life had a whole new meaning to her.

Along with carrying an inhaler, Johnny also wore glasses; another reason why he was constantly bullied at school. Lana knew this too and she had gone down to the school countless times to demand the principal and the teachers to be able to protect her son when she was not able to do so. Johnny would sit on the bench outside of the office embarrassed by his mother's yells emanating from inside. Kids would pass by and snicker amongst themselves. Johnny would just look down in embarrassment. And when Lana was done yelling she would leave the office in a huff with Johnny in tow behind her. He'd ride silently in the passengers seat while Lana continued ranting.

"Its unbelievable!" She said, "Those people are ill-equipped to even run a school!"

Johnny remained quiet during the whole ride home. When Lana parked the car in the driveway of their quaint one story home she turned to him, "We're home."  
Johnny lifted his head and looked out the window. The first thing he noticed were the neighborhood kids playing in their yards. They never invited him to play. And it was not for the same reasons kids bullied him at school. It was because their parents suspected of what kind of woman his mother was. She was a single mother who in all her years there had not had one male suitor around. Nor did her son's father ever come around. They never said anything but instead prohibited their children from playing with her son.

Johnny ignored the kids and stepped out of the car. Lana saw this and sighed. She stopped him as he passed by her, "Stop right there." She said and cupped his chin bringing his face to hers. She looked down in to his eyes to see herself. Of course, _he_ was there too but she chose not to see that. She forced herself not to. After seven years she had trained herself not to cry at the mere look of her son's face. Even now she struggled but it was not as painful as before. A soft smile brushed her lips, "Don't be upset."  
Johnny sighed and pulled his eyes away from his mother. "Johnny." She said his name sternly and he looked up at her again, "You're better then they are. Remember that."  
He nodded and she caressed his face, "Go inside and wash your hands. Dinner will be ready soon."  
Johnny did what he was told and hurried inside after she unlocked the door.

Their small home was neat and tidy. Lana had worked hard to give them a perfect home. To give Johnny a family that his father never had. She hoped that Oliver was turning in his grave with jealousy at what she had created over the years. Johnny was a happy boy despite his school and health problems. Lana would make sure he never turned out like his father. Still, the beautiful one story home remained empty and Lana found herself thinking of Wendy. Because Wendy would know what to do, she would give Johnny the love Lana often found impossible to give him. She would love him like her own even though he wasn't and despite the fact that he was a result of rape and evil. She would love him. She inhaled the smell of lilacs. The smell of cigarettes no longer lingered in the air. Lana had stopped smoking long ago due to Johnny's asthma. The doctors had warned her of his health and if she wanted to keep him healthy she would have to quit. She struggled but in the end she did.

Johnny walked in to the living room where he plunked himself on the couch and watched the children play outside from the window. His little chin rested on his hands. Lana saw him from her spot in the kitchen. She was cutting up carrots for their dinner. "Johnny boy," She called him. Johnny turned around at the sound of his name. Lana smiled at her son, "What are you doing over there?"  
"Nothing." he answered.  
"Why don't you come here and help me make dinner?"  
Johnny nodded and made his way to the counter island that separated the kitchen from the living room. He pulled himself on to the stool and sat down in front of his mother. "Carrots." He said.  
Lana lifted a brow at his disapproving expression. "Yes, carrots. Don't you like carrots?"  
Johnny made a face, "No, I hate carrots."  
Lana chuckled softly at her son's response, "And since when do you hate, carrots?"  
"Since forever." He said.

It was then a loud cry of a child caught his attention and he looked back to the window. Lana saddened at this. She knew her son wanted to be out there playing but to be honest, she would rather have him inside where he was safe. Not all of the children's parents disapproved of her life style and there were some kids that came around shyly asking for him but Lana felt uneasy letting Johnny go out and play. One reason was his asthma, she did not want him to overdue himself and as for the second; she just did not feel safe. She knew Oliver was dead but there was something in the back of her mind that left her wondering. She could never be too careful when it came to Johnny's well being.

Still, it saddened her to see him so upset. "Johnny," She said again. Johnny turned to look at her. "Why don't you go outside and play for a little while?" She couldn't believe what she was saying but it had been almost 8 years since his death. They had started a new life in a new place; they had to be safe by now.  
"Really?" Johnny perked up.  
Lana smiled, "Really." She pushed up his glasses for him.  
"Thanks mom!" He grinned and jumped off the stool and hurried outside.  
"Just don't exert yourself!" She called after him.  
"Okay!" Johnny said and hurried to catch up to the neighborhood kids who had already started a game of kickball.

Lana stood at the doorway and watched as Johnny joined a blond haired boy who lived down the street. He had been one of the kids that had asked for Johnny before. Lana could tell some of the older kids were weary about Johnny joining in their play but they did not mind an extra player. She just hoped they did not treat him ill.

It was then Lana felt the strange feeling of eyes upon her and she looked to the empty house across from hers. The "For Sale" sign had been on the lawn for months now and the grass was beginning to die. There was no one. Lana frowned lightly at the feeling and looked back to Johnny. They were safe. They had to be. She sighed and went back inside to finish dinner feeling foolish for even thinking about it. But the feeling of being watched never subsided.

When Johnny came inside from playing with the neighborhood kids, he couldn't wait to tell Lana of all the fun he had. He went on about the kickball game even though he didn't get to play a lot. And vven though Lana worried about his health she let him continue. Still he was a little disappointed that he had to go inside way earlier then the rest of the children. But he was happy no less.

Lana noticed him finishing his carrots and said, "I thought you hated carrots."

Johnny pushed his glasses up as he looked down at his fork, "I do." he said and ate the piece of carrot. Lana laughed at this. She was amazed on how much happiness this boy brought her when she was sure he would only bring her pain. Still, there were those moments where she would relapse and deny him affection. In the end she would end up begging for his forgiveness.

"Mom," Johnny said setting his fork down.  
"Yes?" She answered him.  
Johnny fidgeted a little and hesitated. He pushed his glasses up again. Lana noticed this, "Looks like we'll have to get you some new glasses soon."  
"Mom, I-" he was about to ask when the phone rang.  
"Hold on to that thought, Johnny boy." Lana said and stood to answer it. She had a feeling it was an important call from the office. Johnny sighed and leaned back against his seat. He picked up his fork and commenced to play with the peas remaining on his plate.  
"What do you mean you lost it?" Johnny turned his attention to his mother in the kitchen. Lana stood with her back to him, "Lou, I gave you the only copy I had. I told you to take care of it."

Johnny looked back to his plate. Lana had found a new job as a journalist at a different publishing company and was always so busy. She would find herself in front of her type writer all night buried deep in to her work while Johnny stood at the door of his room unable to sleep waiting for her attention.

Johnny pushed a pea out of his plate when he heard something click outside the dinning room window. Night had settled and it was dark outside. He turned all his attention to the window and pushed his glasses back up.  
"Lou, don't give me this!" Lana said in frustration, as she was far too busy with her hectic phone call. Johnny looked from his mother to the window and stood to his feet. He walked to the window and peered outside but it was too dark to see anything.  
"Ok, I'll have it by tomorrow…" Lana hung up and walked back in to the dining room where she saw Johnny standing at the window. "Johnny." She called his name.  
Johnny turned to her, "What are you doing?"  
"Nothing." He said and backed away from the window.  
Lana sighed and walked over to close the curtains. She did not like it when they were open at night. She then turned to Johnny, "Are you done with your dinner?"  
"Yes, mom." he answered.  
"Alright." She said softly, running her hand down the back of his head. "Go get ready for your bath then."  
Johnny did as he was told and hurried out of the dinning room. Lana shook her head as she picked up the plates from the table and took them to the kitchen where she placed them in to the sink.

When Johnny was bathed and ready for bed Lana tucked him in. She took his glasses and placed them gently on his nightstand. His once empty room was now filled with furniture and decorations of things he liked; planes, animals, trains, super heroes and a lot of books. Johnny loved books, especially when Lana read them to him. But that night he was too exhausted to ask for a story. He fell right to sleep when Lana tucked him in. She watched him sleep for a moment. He looked so helpless and small. Just like the tiny boy she had brought home all those years ago. "Goodnight, Johnny boy." She whispered and caressed his cheek.

Later that night, Lana sat on her desk with her type writer before her. It had taken her hours to finish the last report she wrote and now she would have to spend the rest of the night rewriting it all. It frustrated Lana to have to start from the bottom all over again. She was so close to coming to a break through with Briarcliff until it all happened. Now she had to settle with what she had, for Johnny. She began to quickly type away the story she had memorized when _his_ voice returned to her.

"You used to be so brilliant, Lana. You had a lot of pluck." Lana ignored him. "You had this strong determination that attracted me so much. Where did it go?" He stood behind her now.  
"You killed it." She mumbled to herself. Lana often felt foolish for speaking with a ghost but if she did not comply he would rant on for hours in her head. He was persistent, as always.  
His voice chuckled in her ear, "Now, now, Lana. You and I both know you were at fault. We could have been so happy together."

Lana buried her face in her shaking hands growing frustrated by the second. The words were jumbled in her mind and everything she typed down came out sounding so wrong. She yanked the paper out of the typewriter, crumbled it and threw it aside. How she wished his voice would cease for good. Just then a hand placed itself upon her shoulder making her jump. A scream escaped her lips and she turned around to find Johnny standing there. "Johnny!" she gasped, "What are you doing up?"

"I had a bad dream," Johnny said softly. Lana could hear the tears in his voice.

She sighed softly and leaned back trying to catch her breath, "Come here." Johnny climbed on to his mother's lap and buried his face in the crook of her neck. Being in her arms always comforted him. Lana wrapped her arms around him bringing him closer to her, "There, there." She said to him, "...M-Mommy's here." It had taken her a very long time to become comfortable with her new name but in the end she had come to terms with it. She kissed his head. When she did this she kept her lips on him and remembered all those years ago when she had comforted his father in the same way. Lana closed her eyes ignoring the horrible memory. She held Johnny tighter.

_I love _him, she thought, _but I never cared about _you_._

"I don't like my room." Johnny said suddenly. This caught Lana's attention and she pulled away to look down at him. He was nestled against her the way he used to when he was smaller.  
"Why do you say that, Johnny?" Lana's tone was serious and there was a frown upon her face.  
Johnny looked down to her necklace and placed his fingers on it, "The shadow doesn't let me sleep." he said.  
Lana's frown deepened and she looked up to the window. One of the curtains had been left open. This made Lana extremely uncomfortable but she knew her imagination was running wild. Oliver Thredson was dead. She had killed him herself. She was sure of it. But she couldn't help to worry. It seemed as if she would always live in fear of him. She ignored the window and looked back to her son, "Don't worry, baby. You can sleep with me tonight."  
Upon hearing this Johnny relaxed and closed his eyes comforted by his mother's words.

Lana looked back to her unfinished work. At the moment it did not matter. All she seemed to be able to focus on was Johnny. So, she heaved him higher in to her arms and stood, turning off the lights before she exited the room. But what Lana missed was the shadow standing outside the window. And when she turned around there was nothing there but the moon's glow. His eyes were indeed _always_ watching her.


	4. CH 4- Problem Child

**Dear Father**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own AHS  
**A/N:** First of all let me thank those of you who have reviewed so far! Really enjoyed reading them. It means a lot to know what you guys think of this fic so far! Anyway, along with the story!~

**Chapter 4**- Problem Child

Like every morning, Lana drove Johnny to school. Unlike the children in his neighborhood, Johnny attended a private school. It made Lana feel just a little bit more sane. Johnny had attended a public school before but the outcome wasn't very pleasing. Johnny sat silently watching the world outside go by. He was very familiar with the ride there. Meanwhile, Lana muttered to herself; mostly things she had to cover at work or groceries that she needed to buy on her way back home. But to be honest, what Lana was craving the most was a nice cigarette. It had been years since she let herself have one but when the stress was too much she found herself craving one.

Johnny perked up as his school came to view. "Got your inhaler?" Lana asked.  
Johnny looked to her, "Huh?" Lana parked the car along the drop off lane and looked to her son softly, "Your inhaler, baby, do you have it?" Johnny suddenly remembered and checked his pocket where sure enough the little turquoise inhaler was. He brought it out and showed Lana. "Good." She said, "And your lunch?"  
"Got it." he answered.  
"Okay." She said. Lana always worried about leaving Johnny alone, whether it be at school or at home. He was the only family she had, the only person who loved her unconditionally and she was very aware of that. They only had each other in the world.

It was then the bell rang and all the kids hanging outside got up and headed inside. "Alright, go on before you're late to class." Lana said.  
Johnny nodded pushing the car door open. Out of complete impulse Lana grabbed his hand before he could jump out. He turned to look in to her eyes. "Johnny, please be safe." She said to him.  
Johnny smiled, "I will."  
"Love you." She said slowly letting go of his hand. She truly did. "Love you too!" Johnny called out as he closed the car door and hurried inside before he was late. Lana watched him go.

During recess Johnny sat on a bench by himself as the other children played. In his hands was a book he had borrowed from the library. Johnny often proffered reading then joining his classmates in rigorous games where he would sure come out losing. Little did he know, he was truly more intelligent then the rest of them. But the entire student population was oblivious to little Johnny Winters- except for a single pair of dark eyes that watched him so intently from behind the fence, hidden underneath the shadows of a shady tree. A smile brushed their lips.

Johnny was buried in his story when a heavy hand slapped the book to the ground. Johnny instantly looked up to see the sneering faces of a group of boys. They were older and taller then him therefore saw themselves superior. Johnny reached down to pick up the book but one of the boys kicked it aside. They laughed at his helplessness. The children around him did not bother to come to his aid and when Johnny tried to reach for his book again another boy pushed him to the ground. Johnny fell back, grunting softly as he fell against the hard asphalt ground and scraped his palms.

"Look at him, he's going to cry. Aren't you, Winters?" One of the boys said and all his friends laughed. Johnny's hands tightened in to fists as he looked up at the boys. His eyes were filled with anger but never fear. He remembered what his mother had said to him; he was better than they were.  
"Leave me alone…" Johnny muttered.  
"Or what? Your mom gonna write about it?" They teased. This made the young boy crack. He pushed himself off the ground and lunged himself at the older boy. They both fell to the ground. Yells broke out through the playground catching the principal's attention. She hurried to the small crowd that had gathered ushering children out of the way. Her eyes widened in horror as she saw the scene before her. One boy held Johnny back while his friend lay on the ground spitting profanities.

"Stop!" She yelled and every child stopped dead in their tracks. "What is the meaning of this?" She demanded. All the boys pointed at Johnny. Her hawk like eyes fell upon the troubled young boy who slowly pushed his glasses back up. She frowned, "You again, Mr. Winters?"  
"But-" Johnny began when she put her hand up, "Why is it always you causing problems? Do we need to call your mother again, young man?" Johnny looked around to smirking and giggling faces. He looked back at the principal and slowly shook his head. "Alright then, to the office with you!" She grabbed him by the collar and yanked him off the playground and in to the school leaving his book behind on the ground.

"We cannot continue to have problems like these, Ms. Winters." The principal, Mrs. Abigail Clayton said as she sat behind her desk. Across from her sat Lana with little Johnny sitting at her side; his head down avoiding his eyes from his mother.

Lana's temper was running thin. She had been pulled out work suddenly when she received the call from the office. Upon hearing the receptionists voice she knew it had happened again. "I understand, Mrs. Clayton, but you cannot keep blaming my son for every single fight that breaks out. It takes two to start something and in this case its obvious that it was more then two."

"Ms. Winters." Mrs. Clayton spoke cutting Lana off, "This isn't the first time your son has gotten in to trouble with his classmates, mind you."

"And this isn't the first time you haven't done anything to help prevent these confrontations." Lana snapped but regained herself, "Mrs. Clayton, I am paying extremely good money so my son can have a good education- not so he can be bullied every time you turn a cheek."

Johnny flinched at his mother's words but remained quiet. Mrs. Clayton was aghast by the reporter's words, "Ms. Winters, I assure you that we are doing everything we can to keep these boys in line."

"Well, it isn't enough." Lana said curtly, "Now, what I don't understand is why my son is the only one being punished? Those other boys need consequences as well. The blame cannot always be put on my son. I demand this harassment to cease immediately."

"Calm down, Ms. Winters." Mrs. Clayton said. She knew perfectly well what Lana's status was and what she was capable of. And her prestigious school did not need to be the gossip of the town.

"How can you ask me to calm down when my son is constantly bullied by the rest of your students? I imagined a school like this has a no tolerance policy when it comes to things like this."

Mrs. Clayton looked at her for a moment. She calmed herself and spoke matter of factly, "Our school is very serious when it comes to discipline. I assure you this won't happen again but your son must do his part to stay out of s\trouble or else-"

"Or else what?" Lana challenged her, "You're going to expel my son? On what grounds?"

"Now, now," She said, "No one's talking about expulsion." She placed her hands firmly on her desk and looked to Johnny, "Little Johnny here will serve out his punishment like the rest of the boys involved in this little shenanigan. Like I said, our school will not tolerate a problem child."

_"Unbelievable_." Lana said as she and Johnny left the office for what must have been the third time in that week alone. Johnny followed her down the empty hall. The school had let out over an hour ago.

"I'm sorry." Johnny said meekly as he stopped in his tracks. Lana stopped and looked back to see him standing there completely defeated. She sighed softly and went to him; kneeling down to his level, she placed her hand upon his cheek.  
"Johnny," She said softly, "This was not your fault."

Johnny avoided his mother's eyes in shame, "I'm always causing you trouble."  
"No, no, baby, you're not." She grabbed his hands and his attention, "Look at me Johnny." His eyes landed upon hers, "None of this is your fault. All right? You are never any trouble. Don't you ever say that." She pulled him in to a hug, "No trouble at all…" Lana drifted off in to past memories that seemed like an eternity ago.

She then stood to her feet and placed her hand out to him, "Come on, we'll eat out tonight? How's that sound?" Johnny nodded and took her hand. She smiled softly at him, "Atta boy."

"Can I have a milkshake too?" Johnny asked as they reached the parking lot. The eyes that always followed them were watching closely and listening every so intently.

"Of course you can," Lana smiled. "Anything you want." She opened the car door for Johnny and let him in. And when she looked across the parking lot to the trees, Lana got the strangest chills. There was something odd about the air that day. Something strange and uneasy. But she pushed it out of her mind and got in to the car driving off.

The shadow stepped out of the darkness and watched them go. The smirk never left his lips.

And he waited patiently for her to come out of the school. It was dark by the time she finally emerged from the large double doors and made her way in to the parking lot. She who had treated the boy so poorly. Who had scolded him without hearing his side of the story. He waltzed out of the shadows ever so casually. His hand lay patiently in his pocket even though he was raging inside; the other hand held a crowbar he had helped himself to from the Janitor's closet. It had been so long since he felt the touch of soft warm skin. He had been laying low for so long that his needs were beginning to eat him alive. But that night he would finally quiet his hunger.

He approached Mrs. Abigail Clayton with almost a skip to his step. He tried to see past reason but all he could seem to focus on was the injustice he had witnessed in the playground earlier that day. He believed every child should be loved and protected but this woman was cold and unforgiving. She had no interest to save the poor boy from the hands of his tormentors. She only humiliated him by pinning all blame on him and threatening to call his mother. He chuckled at the thought. A phone call to mommy's place of work. He never experienced those phone calls home or to his mother's place of work. But that was behind him now. If everything went well (as he hoped) perhaps his mommy would return to him. Dead or alive. He didn't care. All he wanted at that moment was to avenge the young boy.

He slowly approached Mrs. Clayton who was struggling to put her keys in her old brown town car. She mumbled to herself and stopped when she noticed the reflection of the man standing behind her. She turned around quickly but before she could get a quick glance at him he struck her with the crowbar and she fell limp on the floor. Oliver Thredson looked down at her twitching body and smiled, "There, there, Mrs. Clayton. It'll all be over soon."


	5. CH 5- The Big Bad Wolf

**Dear Father**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own AHS  
**A/N:** Once again thank you to all those of you who have reviewed, followed/favored Dear Father. It means a lot and I really enjoy reading all of your reviews! I'm glad you're all liking it so far. So thank you all and enjoy!

**Chapter 5**- The Big Bad Wolf

He had been watching him for a long time now. He had been watching _her_ too. He remembered the first times he ever saw his son and what was the last time for many years. It was years ago, the boy must have been about a year and a half. He was in the front lawn with his mother. She had gone out to get the mail and placed him down on the grass. He jumped up instantly and trotted across the grass in his diaper and stripped shirt. He giggled as he hurried to a ball that had been left behind. Oliver Thredson smiled when he saw his son taking those feeble steps. The little boy could barely walk but he was already eager to run and that made him so proud.

"Johnny boy!" He heard her call out to him and his eyes instantly snapped to her. Lana Winters. Oliver's blood began to boil when he saw her. How he had dreamed of getting his sweet revenge. For she had stolen what he loved most: his son. She had stolen his right as a father to help bring him in to the world and watch him grow. He watched as Lana made her way up the walk way to the grass where his son stood with the ball in his hand. He lifted it above his head in attempt to throw it but it did not go far. Oliver watched as Lana knelt down to the child's level. He ran to her looking at the letters in her hands. How he envied her. How he wished he could have been there too. But it was so easy to step out of the shadows and walk down the street to put his hands around her neck and tighten them until the life left her eyes. Of course, Oliver had thought much about it. But if he killed Lana, who would care for his son? Oliver remained on the run. He had no way to give his son a proper life. But soon he would. He would just have to wait.

Nevertheless, a part of him was grateful that Lana kept their son. He was sure that she had rid of him. And when he had heard that she had kept him he was filled with a strange sense of happiness he did not quite understand. Maybe he would let her live after all.

He stood across the street from their home, watching it ever so intently. It had taken Oliver years to find them once more after that day when he first laid his eyes upon his son. And he was amazed at how much the little boy had grown. He was eager to share a life with him, to finally have a real complete family.

Oliver stepped further in to the shadows of the empty house as a car's headlights peered in to the street and drove by. He looked back to the house where the lights were on and his family was waiting.

X

Johnny watched his mother's expression. She seemed preoccupied with her own thoughts that night. Lana had been so concerned over the day's events she had let her mind travel. When Johnny reached for her hand she flinched and pulled away.

It took Lana a moment to realize what she had just done. "Oh, Johnny." She said when she saw his confused expression. She had been buried deep in her thoughts that Johnny's touch had taken her by surprise. "Johnny, I-" She sat down besides him, "Baby, I'm so sorry. You startled me is all." She caressed his cheek.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." Johnny said. His voice was soft. There had been times when Johnny had surprised Lana with a hug or a touch. She had been so lost in to her tormented thoughts that she could not help but to pull away. She knew this hurt Johnny and she tormented herself about it. She never wanted to hurt him like that again.

She smiled softly at him, "No, I'm sorry." She left her hand on his cheek until his expression lightened. "Its ok." He said.  
"Thank you." She said and stood from the bed, "Alright mister, lights out."

"Mom," He grabbed her hand again with both of his hands to keep her from going. This time Lana did not jump at his touch. "Yes?"

Johnny averted his eyes for a moment almost too ashamed to ask. He knew he was growing too old but once more wouldn't hurt, "…Can you read to me tonight?" Lana looked at her son's precious face. She put him through so much and at the end of the day all he wanted was her to read him a story. She looked out the door where she knew her work was waiting for her but she could not say no to him. Instead she smiled, "Of course."

Johnny's face brightened instantly and climbed out of bed to choose a book. He looked through his shelf and picked the right one then climbed back in to bed. "This one?" Lana took the book from him. Johnny nodded.

"Alright then. Little Red Riding-hood it is." Lana looked at the cover of the book where a large hungry wolf stalked a smiling little girl. It almost seemed too cruel and she questioned why she had bought him the book in the first place. Sometimes when they went shopping Johnny would slide in a book. She didn't mind, on the contrary, she encouraged his reading. But it was what Johnny wanted so she opened the book and commenced to read. Johnny lay against his pillow and listened.

Lana read out loud to Johnny. She had seemed to forget her fears towards the end of the story. Johnny smiled at the voices she would make. "Oh Grandmother, what big eyes you have. The better to see you with, my dear." However, Lana wasn't always good at this. She never read to Johnny when he was younger. It was he who followed after her with a book in his tiny dimpled hands begging her to read the words he did not yet understand.

"Oh, Grandmother what big ears, you have. The better to hear you with, my dear," So many things had changed since then. "Oh, Grandmother, what big teeth you have." Johnny's leaned in impatiently waiting for the ending he knew so well. "The better to eat you with!" Lana reached for his tummy with her hand to surprise him.

Johnny laughed. He knew it was coming but still it always took him by surprise. Lana smiled at him, "The end, Johnny boy." She said when she finished the remaining of the story and tucked him back underneath his blankets.

"You're funny, mom." he said, his eyes getting heavy with sleep. Lana smiled softly at him, "Goodnight, baby."

"Love you." He said. Lana paused for a moment and looked at him. Somehow it always surprised her when he said this. The only other person who had told her they loved her was Wendy. And she had been gone for many years. Lana knew she would never hear those words from her former lover ever again. But hearing them from Johnny was better then anything she could have hoped for.

"Love you more." She kissed his forehead and stood from the bed turning the light off as she exited the room. She watched his sleeping figure in the dark for a moment until she closed the door behind her. Lana lifted the book in her hand and frowned lightly at it. Now that she thought about it, Lana did not remember buying him that book. But it was late and she had much work to do so she pushed the thought aside and walked back to her office space where a long night awaited her. She set the book down on the corner of her desk and sighed. She had a long night ahead of her.

And like always his ghost came to haunt her. "Just go away." She mumbled to herself when she felt him standing behind her like a vulture.

"What's the matter, Lana? Don't you enjoy my company?" his ghostly voice spoke. His voice was always so calm and proper but Lana knew better. He was like a volcano ready to explode at any given moment.

"Not really." She answered him, feeling foolish for playing along. But she continued to type away at her work. And Oliver remained standing there. Lana's eyes wandered to the book on the corner of her desk sitting neatly next to her type writer. The picture of the wolf stalking the little girl was grim and disturbing. But how she felt like that little girl, being stalked by the big bad wolf. She remembered how he told her that he had been watching her long before she arrived at Briarcliff. The thought still frightened her. But Lana was not a frightened little girl and the big bad wolf was now dead. She had nothing to fear, not even the memories.

When the clock hit one, Lana stood from her desk. Her finished work lay neatly on top of Johnny's book. Quietly, she went in to the bathroom and turned on the shower. Once undressed she stepped in and let the hot water run down her body. It seemed like every day of that week lasted longer then it should have. And with Johnny suspended from school for the next following days, Lana did not know how she was going to manage. She had Johnny all to herself tomorrow since he had been suspended for a day for the rumble in the schoolyard. Lana counted themselves lucky he had not been expelled. His school was very strict but she knew that they were aware of the problems she could cause them if they were to expel Johnny. So they let his little shenanigan slide. Still, she did not know how much more they would tolerate.

She exhaled and let the water relax her body. She closed her eyes for a moment trying to shake the feeling of being watched off. And she wondered when she would get a moment of peace. Lana's eyes flew open when she heard something shuffle outside. She looked out of the shower but the bathroom was empty. It was probably his ghost causing her trouble again. She hated the way he managed to watch her from his grave. Lana turned the water off and dried herself. She had a long day ahead of her. She dressed and dried her hair with her towel. She noticed the curtains to her window were wide open. It was pitch black out and all she saw was her reflection through the glass. She walked over to the window and closed the curtains. But the eerie feeling did not subside.

Not wanting to sleep alone, Lana wandered in to Johnny's room where he lay in bed fast asleep. She smiled softly at his sleeping figure. He could be such a handful at times but she adored him no less. Everything she did, she did it for him. It still amazed her how much she had come to love him. She lay in bed next to him and ran her fingers through his soft dark hair. Johnny stirred only a little but did not wake at his mother's touch. Watching him sleep relaxed her and reminded her of her sanity. She only wanted to see the good in her son because to her, there was nothing bad about him. And slowly after a moment, she drifted in to a deep slumber.

X

Oliver watched over her sleeping figure. He had waited until she fell asleep to follow her in to Johnny's room. Being so close to her filled him with an undoubtful thrill. For years he had imagined wrapping his hands around her lean velvet neck and slicing through her delicate skin with his chosen scalpel. The feel of her skin pulsing against his, her eyes drowning in horror as she saw him laying over her; realizing that he was indeed alive. Because he wanted her to know that she had not killed him and she would never rid of him.

Oliver smiled at the thought of Lana struggling underneath him. Her suffering would please him till no end. Oh, how he wanted to be in her arms again, to feel himself inside of her just as he did when he had her locked in his basement. But remembering her betrayal stabbed him. It spliced through him like a rigid rusted knife. He couldn't forgive her for it but watching her lay there with their son cradled protectively next to her made him forget that betrayal. She was the reason his son was alive and he was grateful for it.

Lana Winters made him the most happiest yet miserable man there was.

He watched as her chest rose and fell with every single breath. She really did take his breath away. How he wished he could do the same to her (literally). Oliver froze when he saw Johnny stir. The little boy's face scrunched as if he was having a dream of his disliking. Oliver stepped closer to observe the child who was so perfect in his eyes. He took pride seeing as how much the boy took after him. He had his lips and was sure he had his smile as well. However, he also looked much like his mother. He was the perfect combination of the two. Who would have known that Lana Winters and Oliver Thredson would make such a beautiful child. He knew it was fate. He just knew she was the one.

Johnny stirred again, his eyes opened slowly to greet the dark room. He seemed to panic for a moment but calmed when he saw his mother fast asleep next to him. He cradled himself back in to her arms. Johnny looked out the window. It was open letting in the fresh night air. Slowly his eyes began to close once more.

Oliver stood across the street once more watching the quaint little home beneath the street lights. He couldn't wait to be a part of that home. He had waited so long for the perfect moment to return. But the right moment was so close. He could feel it at the tip of his fingers. It wasn't long now.


	6. CH 6- Tough Cookie

**Dear Father**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own AHS

**A/N:** **Wow! I am loving all of your reviews. Thank you so much, guys! Reading your reviews makes me even more excited about this story. Also I like to read your thoughts on Oliver and Lana (I love working with these two) and what direction you'd like to see their relationship go along the story. I'm really glad you all like it and I will have chapter 7 up soon. **

**Chapter 6-** Tough Cookie

"Now, be on your best behavior, alright Johnny?" Lana said as she and Johnny walked hand in hand in to the tabloid newspaper publishing building where she worked. Johnny was suspended for the day and with no one else to watch him, Lana had no choice but to take him in to work. And she wondered how her boss, Luis Graham would react to a child in his building. Johnny would have been excited if his mother was a reporter out in the field like she used to be. Now she sat at her desk writing small stories for newspapers and magazines alike. However, Lana was planning on getting back out there. It would just take time.

"And whatever you do, don't touch the toy cars on Lou's desk. He doesn't like that very much." Lana ushered him inside.  
"Mk." Was Johnny's answered.

Johnny followed after his mother up to the fifth floor and in to the large office space. The sound of type writers and rustling papers filled his ears. People rushed from one desk to another with their hands busy with folders and loose papers. The phones were ringing off their hooks and small conversations could be heard around the office. Johnny stayed close to Lana, a little intimidated by the people who stopped in their tracks when they saw him enter with his mother. An older woman with graying blond hair who sat at reception was the first to notice him. She smiled brightly, "Good morning, Lana."

"Good morning, Bern." Lana returned the smile.  
"Whose this?" Bern asked looking to Johnny who looked shyly back at her.  
Lana placed her hand on his shoulder, "This is my son, Johnny. Manners, baby." She said to him.  
"Good morning." Johnny greeted her.  
Bern smiled brightly at him, "What a handsome boy, you have there, Lana. Would you like a candy, Johnny?" she gestured to the small tin can on her desk.  
"Thank you." Johnny said and reached inside pulling out a sucker.  
"You're very welcome, dear. Oh, Lana, Lou would like to see you." Bern's expression turned urgent when she said this.  
"Oh, of course. Thanks, Bern. This way, Johnny." Lana lead Johnny to her cubicle where she placed her things on her desk and turned to her son, "Wait here love, I'll be right back."  
"Kay." Johnny said and sat at her desk and pulled out his folder from his backpack where he kept his assigned homework for the week. Even suspended he was expected to do his work and keep up with the rest of the class. But that wasn't a problem; Lana always made sure he kept up with his studies. Even when she was far too busy with her own work.  
Lana left Johnny quietly seated in her desk and went to look for Luis in his office. And surely enough there he was; Luis Graham. Lana's boss and editor-in-chief. "You wanted to see me, Lou?" she asked when she entered his office.

Luis- or Lou as he liked to be called was a well and handsome man. He dressed in slacks, a white dress shirt and suspenders. His dark hair was combed back and he had this look about him like he was trying to solve some kind of clue off in the distance. He set his brilliant hazel eyes on her and smile, "Ah, why if it isn't Ms. Winters, my favorite person on the face of the earth."  
Lana sighed heavily, "Cut the crap, Lou. What do you want?" She had known Lou for years- long enough to handle his peculiar personality.  
"Right." He jumped off his desk, walked over to her and handed her a folder, "Here. I know you've been pestering me for a job out on the field, so here. Its got your name written all over it."

Lana gave him a weary look. She could never tell with Lou. Once he sent her out on the field but only to record a boring story about a pipe line breaking in a neighborhood uptown where the lawns flooded in waste. Lana was not too happy but Johnny was rather amused when she came home smelling like a public bathroom. She could hear him laughing on her bed as she attempted to wash the stink off. And she was not about to let Lou degrade her like that again. She took the folder carefully, "What is it?"  
"Open it up," he said and tossed a rubble ball in the air and caught it when it fell.  
Lana opened the folder and her eyes widened at the picture, "Mrs. Clayton?" she looked up at Lou. Lou nodded, "Your son's principal, am I right? From that prestigious school you have him in".  
"Yes." Lana answered looking back to the photo, "But why do you have a photo of Mrs. Clayton?"  
"Well, she's missing." Lou answered.  
"Missing?" Lana looked at him quickly, "What do you mean, _missing_? I just saw her yesterday. I got called in to her office."  
Lou sighed, "Yeah, well, apparently her husband freaked when she didn't make it home in time for dinner last night. He informed the police but they said they couldn't file her as a missing person after, well you know, a certain time." Lana only nodded. "Anyway, Jimmy, you know Jimmy?" Lana nodded again. Her eyes remained on the photo. "He happened to be down at the agency scooping out some details for me on the Anderson case when he heard Mr. Clayton having a fit. He went up to him after he left and got all the information."

Lana looked at Lou again, "Lou, its too soon to even know if she's missing. Maybe she stayed at the school a little longer."  
Lou shook his head, "No, Lana, my gut is telling me that this woman is missing. And according to the call I received from Jimmy this morning, "He looked at Lana straight in the eyes with much anticipation and excitement. "She did not show up for school this morning."

Lana frowned instantly at this. Being called to her office multiple times on Johnny's behalf, Lana had grown to know Mrs. Clayton very well. And as far as she knew, Mrs. Clayton _never_ missed a day of school. She was always punctual. Under rain and sleet. Lou walked over to her, "I know it may be too soon but if its not I want to be the top one on the case before the rest of the competitors. I don't want another Reamus incident on our hands here. I want to be _first_, Lana, _first_. Can you handle this?"  
Lana looked up from the photo and closed the folder. "Yes. You can count on me."  
Lou smiled and placed his hands on her shoulders, "I know you can handle this. You're one tough cookie, Lana. I know you can get to the bottom of this." He patted her shoulders and left his office, "Cliff! Where in the world is my coffee?"

Lana stood there with the folder of a possibly missing Mrs. Clayton in her hands. It was so strange. She had just seen her the day before in her office. But missing a day of scolding young children was highly unlike her. Scolding children…"Johnny." Lana suddenly remembered her son and hurried back to her cubicle where Johnny sat at her desk finishing his math homework.

"Mom, what's nine times nine?" he asked looking up from his school book.  
"Eighty one." Lana answered without giving it much thought. On other occasions she would have helped Johnny figure the answer out on his own but all she could think about was his reaction to his missing Principal. Johnny was only seven going on eight. She wasn't sure how he'd react.  
"Eighty. One." He said as he wrote down the answer, "Thanks mom."  
"No problem, baby. How are we doing?"  
"I hate math," was Johnny's answer. Lana smiled, "Alright then, scooch." She said, "Mom's got a lot of work."  
Johnny jumped from her rolling desk chair and sat in the smaller chair next to it. "Do I have to do this?" He looked from his book to his mother.  
Lana sat down, "Yes, Johnny. You have to do your homework. You wanna go to college don't you?"  
Johnny shrugged.  
Lana frowned lightly at this, "What do you mean?-" and she imitated his shrug.  
Johnny shrugged again. "I don't know, mom. That's like a kagillion years from now."  
Lana chuckled lightly, "Yeah, well, kagillion years or not, you're still going to college."  
He groaned and continued with his math problems, "Why does one hafta go to college anyway?" he asked keeping his eyes on his work.

"Well," Lana began as she pulled out her work as well and looked it over, "You have to if you want to have a really good job, like an architect or a lawyer-"  
"Or a doctor?"  
Lana looked up to meet his eyes. She suddenly remembered Oliver and quickly averted her eyes before she gave any sign of faltering. "Yeah…like a doctor."  
"But you gotta be smart to be a doctor…" Johnny said answering one of his questions. Lana wasn't going to argue with him on that. She had to admit, along with being completely psychotic, Oliver was extremely intelligent. But she set the thought aside.  
"Hey," Lana said poking his tummy, "You're smart."  
Johnny smiled, "Smart enough to skip homework?"  
"Oh, no, mister. Genius or not, you're still doing homework _and_ going to college. Conversation, over."  
"Fine." He said and continued with his work.  
"Oh son of mine." She said to herself.

"Ms. Winters?" Lana turned to the sound of her name. Johnny did as well. There at the entrance of her cubicle stood a young woman. Her name was Rachel Dylan and she was Lou's assistant (in other words she took notes of his never ending rants, made him four cups of coffee a day and picked up his dry cleaned suites). She was a pretty girl in her late twenties with light brown hair tied back in to a ponytail.  
"Yes?"  
Rachel smiled shyly at her, "Lou wants to know if you're done with last weeks report?"  
Lana didn't compute her words right away, "Oh, oh! Right." She dug in her desk and brought out the report. She stood and walked over and handed it to Rachel. "You know, Rachel, you don't have to keep calling me Ms. Winters."

"I know." Rachel smiled at her, "Force of habit, I guess."  
Lana returned the smile, "Habits are hard to break."  
"Oh, Ms. Winters," Rachel said again before Lana could return to her desk.

"Yes?"  
Rachel looked down at the papers in her hands and then back at Lana. She then noticed Johnny, "Oh! I didn't realize you were accompanied."  
"This is my son, Johnny. Johnny this is Lou's assistant, Rachel."  
"Hi Johnny." Rachel gave him a friendly smile. Johnny just looked at her and gave her a meek hello.

"Oh Rachel!" Lou's voice sang through the office.  
"Well, I have to go." Rachel said and gave Lana one last smile before she left to attend to Lou's wants and needs.  
Lana sat back down at her desk and turned to her work. However, she noticed Johnny turn a little serious. "Almost done there, baby?"  
"Is Rachel your friend?" He asked as he kept his eyes on his homework and wrote down the answer to the next question.  
"She's Lou's assistant." Lana answered as she pulled out some papers from a yellow folder.  
"Oh." Was all he said.  
Lana set her pen down and looked at him, "What? Why that face?"  
Johnny frowned and looked at her, "What face?"  
Lana chuckled lightly, "Come on, finish up your homework." She patted his bottom lightly and returned back to her work.

After Johnny was done with his homework he wandered around Lana's cubicle for a while; occasionally peaking outside of it to spy on the people around the office. But nothing caught his attention. He brought out a book and lay on the floor for a while until his eyes grew tired of reading. He looked up at Lana who was busy with her work and sighed. He jumped up to his feet and walked to her desk where he leaned against it. He watched her type for a while and finally after a few minutes he pushed away and walked back to the entrance of the cubicle where he continued to people watch.

And all that time, Lana could not forget Mrs. Clayton. Her sudden disappearance was very alarming. Even if it was too soon to say she was missing but the possibility was there. And Lana couldn't help but to remember when those bodies were found skinless without their heads all those years ago. She was so eager to get down to the root of it all- to meet Bloody Face in person. Of course, she did get to- in the basement of his home. But now, Lana wanted nothing to do with missing people or bodies (if it even came down to that) She wanted no more death in her life. She looked to Johnny who stood there trying to open his sucker. Getting the wrapper off took him longer then actually eating the candy. A soft smile brushed her lips. He was the sweetest boy and she slept soundly at night knowing she was doing her best by him. For Johnny would never turn out like his father. Ever. She would make sure of that.

Still, what Lana could not help to wonder was how Johnny would be if his father was indeed present in his life. She shook her head at a thought she found to be completely idiotic. Oliver was dead. Her son had no father. (So she believed.) She had raised Johnny despite everything all on her own as both mother and father. They were right all along. She was tough. But she was no cookie.


	7. CH 7- A Letter to Bloody Face

**Dear Father**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own AHS

**A/N:** **As promised: chapter 7! **

**Chapter 7**- A Letter to Bloody Face

Johnny sat at the front steps of the school patiently waiting for his mother to arrive. It was 3 o'clock. About an hour after school let out. Lana often found herself buried in paperwork. It had been a week since Mrs. Clayton had gone missing and of course, Lou had been right. There had been no signs of her. Lana had gotten right on the case but she told Johnny that no matter how long she took she would be there. No matter what. And after all, they were going to the carnival that night. She couldn't have forgotten. So Johnny waited for her. In his hands he held a white envelope with the words "_From Johnny_" written in pencil on the front. He looked down at it and read his name over and over. It was a letter he had written in class. A letter for his father.

Johnny's teacher had been in a meeting with the school council discussing the disappearance of Mrs. Clayton and what they should do to keep the school running in her absence. So a substitute (who had no idea Johnny lived with his single mother) thought it would be a brilliant idea if the children wrote a letter to their fathers for the approaching Father's Day. Johnny had sat there at his desk with a blank sheet of paper unsure what to write. He looked around to his classmates who scribbled away quickly writing down "_I love you's_" and "_Best dad in the world_". But Johnny had no idea what to write. He had no father- none that he knew of anyway. It was just he and Lana all his life. And when he attempted to tell his substitute teacher that he couldn't write the letter she called him Jonathan and shooed him off. Annoyed at being called the wrong name, Johnny sat back down and remembered Lana's words when she dropped him off, "Just be the bigger person and behave." So he listened and wrote down what he could. When he was finished he placed the folded letter in an envelope and wrote his name on it. It was a letter for no one.

Johnny continued to look at the letter in his hands unsure what to do with it. But it filled him with an intense curiosity for the person he had written it for. He had only asked Lana about his father twice in his life. Once when he was three. His question had been, "Whose daddy?" Lana froze instantly at his question. He had heard children at the park calling out to their fathers and had become curious as to who his daddy was. And the second time was when he was five. "Why don't I have a daddy?" Was the question. And Lana answered him the best she could. Without having to tell them of the monster his father was. But Johnny was a smart boy. He had understood what his mother told him and moved on. However, he was now filled with an intense curiosity and a thousand questions only one person could answer: Lana.

He watched the young boy sitting on the school steps. He had been waiting there for a long while now. And Oliver grew impatient and angry for Lana had not yet arrived. He disapproved very much for choosing her work over their son. But what caught Oliver's attention the most was the white paper Johnny held in his hands. He had been starring at it the entire time. He would flip it upside down, set it aside and pick it up again. He couldn't help but to notice. And while they both waited, Oliver imagined when Lana would finally arrive for their son. Johnny would jump up to his feet, stick the paper in his pocket and run off to meet her like he did every day after school. All those days Oliver watched intently as Johnny got in the car. He watched every single detail. The way Lana smiled when she saw him. The way her lips formed the words she chose to greet him with. And the way her hand lifted to caress his face and apologize for her tardiness. And she always received forgiveness. Oliver didn't think she deserved so much forgiveness. At least not from himself. But he knew the boy saw no fault in his mother. Nothing she did was every wrong. She was flawless. The same way Oliver once saw her. And to this day he had to admit that a part of him still worshipped her in the strangest of ways. What could he say? He saw himself in her. He always believed that. But Oliver was tired of watching. He wanted to participate. He wanted to be with them. To be seated on the driver's seat and Lana on the passenger's seat while Johnny sat in the back. One happy family. He smiled grimly at the thought.

But this time Lana had yet to arrive. Oliver's hands fidgeted. Hands that just hours ago had finished skinning Mrs. Clayton's dead cold boy. It had been so long since he had skinned a woman. He told himself he would stop- for his family. But it was just what he needed to calm the rage within him. The hungry lust he felt whenever he though of _her_, of Lana. He was dying to feel her skin once more. But sneaking in at night was too risky. When he watched her sleep (just like he had every single night since he had found them) he was ever so tempted to run his fingers along her bare legs. He had found the courage to do so the previous night. But his finger tips had barely touched her ankle when she stirred. He pulled his hand away for a second. His eyes shot to her. Lana remained fast asleep. And once more he let his fingers brush her skin ever so lightly. The soft touch filled him with an intense hunger that starved him like nothing else. His sweet, sweet Lana. She would soon be his again. He smiled at the thought of holding her in his arms, his strength overpowering her. He wanted to feel her squirm beneath him; he wanted her to remember that they were meant for each other. It was a sick illusion he held so dearly. But alas, it was what Oliver wanted the most in life. Oliver snapped out of his thoughts when he saw Johnny stand from the steps and make his way down the school's walkway. Oliver frowned lightly at this. As far as he knew Johnny was not allowed to walk home on his own. He knew no matter how long Lana took she always came for him. Johnny must have grown tired of waiting. Oliver said nothing and followed after his son at a safe distance.

And indeed Johnny had grown tired of waiting for his mother. She was taking longer then usual. Maybe it wouldn't hurt if he walked home for once. It wasn't a long walk and Johnny knew the way perfectly. He played with the letter in his hands almost tempted to open it and reread what he had written. It wasn't anything special and he knew no one would read it but the curiosity lingered. He was halfway home when he heard his name being called out, "Hey, Winters!"

Johnny stopped and turned around. The group of boys from the playground stood there. They had followed him from the school. The oldest boy stepped forth, "You got me in trouble, ya know?"  
Johnny held his ground. He wasn't afraid, "You got yourself in trouble." The boy frowned and pushed Johnny. Johnny stumbled backwards but caught himself before he fell back. "You gonna pay for that."  
"Stop bugging me." Johnny said annoyed. The other boys surrounded him. Their laughing sneers covered every direction. Johnny looked at every one of them. Kids from school walked by but all looked away and kept on their way. They pushed Johnny back and forth until he fell to the ground. It was then the leader of the bunch noticed the paper clutched in Johnny's hand, "What is that?" he tried to snatch the envelope but Johnny pulled it away, "Nothing."  
"Let me see!" The boy yanked it from him.  
"Give it back!" Johnny demanded lunging himself at the boy who was much bigger then him. The boy pushed him back, "What is it? A love letter?" he teased.  
"I said give it back!"  
"Oh, you want it back?" the boy asked and he held the letter up before Johnny's eyes and ripped it in half. The shreds fell to the ground before him. "You can pick _them_ up."

And finally when Johnny grew tired of being pushed around by each and every one of them his fists tightened and he pushed the boy away. Shouts erupted from the little group of boys. The boy got up hitting him and pushing him back down hard. Johnny fell back on the ground and the boy jumped on top of him. He winded his fist back to punch him again and when he was about to let go, a hand stopped his fist mid air. He was yanked off of Johnny by the collar of his shirt and thrown to the ground. Upon seeing what had happened, the boys fled leaving their friend behind who staggered to get back up to his feet and run away. Johnny lay on the floor confused by what had just occurred. It all had happened so fast.

"Are you alright?" A voice asked. Johnny looked up to find himself face to face with Oliver Thredson. Johnny looked up at him with wide eyes. A red ring had begun to grow under his left eye and his glasses lay on the floor. He had never seen this man before even though the man knew him very well. And it was the first time Oliver was so close to his son without him being fast asleep and unaware of his father's presence. But now his son's eyes lay upon him watching him cautiously. It was then Oliver realized how much his eyes reminded him of Lana. She was present so clearly in them. But still, his son was so beautiful to him. He was the most perfect child he had ever seen and his heart pulsed with so much emotion. He reached out his hand to him but Johnny lifted himself from the ground and without responding to Oliver he picked up his school bag and ran away. "Wait!" Oliver called to him obviously worried about the boy. He then noticed Johnny's glasses broken on the grass. He picked them up. They were small in his hands. He suddenly remembered all the times he had been pushed around as a boy and his blood boiled with anger. How dare these filthy children even place their hands upon his son? If he was around the way he should have been none of this would be happening. Oliver grew angrier the more he thought about it, hurt as well for it pained him that this had to happen to his son. Still, he blamed Lana for not caring for him better. She was his mother and it was her job. Oh but, Oliver would let her know of how much he disapproved of her constant absence. Oliver looked up from the glasses to see Johnny disappearing down the street. He smiled, "Don't worry Johnny boy, daddy's coming home soon."

It was then something else caught his attention. A shredded envelope ripped in half. Oliver picked it up and placed the two pieces together. "From Johnny." He read out loud.

x

Johnny ran non stop all the way home. He tripped as he went up the porch and struggled to find the keys that Lana hid under the potted plants for emergencies. Sure enough there they were. Johnny turned around to make sure none of the boys had followed him. The street was empty. With shaky hands he unlocked the door and hurried inside locking it behind him. He sighed once he was in the safety of his home and fell on the carpet floor. He slowly touched his cheek where the bruise was beginning to swell under his eye and winced. He tried to fight back the tears that were swelling in his eyes so he buried his face in his arms. His mother would be home soon and he did not want her to see him like this. Lana told him to wait for her. No matter how long she took she would be there to pick him up. But Johnny was stubborn and decided to walk home on his own against his mother's wishes. Now she would never let him go alone anywhere- let alone to the carnival. He could imagine her storming in to the school office yelling at the top of her lungs at the injustice that had just occurred. Johnny knew his mother well, and knew she would also want the names of the boys who had hurt her little baby. And of course Lana would want to have a serious talk with their parents. Johnny would never live it down.

He pushed himself off the ground and made his way to the bathroom where he climbed on the small step up stool and looked in to the mirror. The evidence of his rumble was clear to see. He sighed heavily and looked down. After a moment he jumped off the stool and made his way in to Lana's room and crawled in to her bed where he hugged the pillow she used the most. He remembered his mother's smiling face and missed her terribly. All he wanted was to be in her arms where he knew he was safe. She would be home soon.

x

Lana was buried deep in paper work. Now that Mrs. Clayton was indeed missing she had her plate full. She was overlooking any witness statements at the moment. The past week had been an utter nightmare. Since she and Johnny were some of the last people to see her, the police had questioned them both. Johnny was confused at first but he seemed to understand what was going on. He was extremely smart. But the police didn't pester him much. They stood and listened intently as his vice principal asked him various questions about Mrs. Clayton. He answered truthfully about what had happened that day. And according to the main detective on the case, "Children can't lie. At least not for long." And Johnny was indeed telling the truth. He had no clue what had happened to Mrs. Clayton that night. Still, Lana was not very happy about them interrogating her little boy.

She lay back on her chair looking at her notes carefully. Nothing made much sense. Mrs. Clayton had disappeared without a single trace. Her car had been left in the parking lot of the school but there were no clues left at the scene. Not a single trace. She sighed and looked at the clock. 3:30. She hoped Johnny was waiting patiently in the school library where she had asked him to wait. She hated having him wait but Lou was persistent on getting the news before everyone else. Without that job they'd be lost. The ringing of the phone brought Lana back to reality and she leaned back to her desk "Hello?" Lana answered the phone.  
"Lana, Lana Winters?" A groggy hoarse voice spoke from the other line.  
Lana frowned lightly, "Yes?" She glanced outside of her cubicle but everyone was busy with their own business. The voice paused for a moment in where she only heard their breathing. "Hello?" She asked.  
"He's alive." The voice said and the line went dead. Lana looked up from her work and the phone slowly slipped through her fingers. _He's alive_. His face instantly came to her and she froze. Her heart began to pound furiously against her chest and her breathing exhilarated.

"_Johnny_." The name slipped from her lips and she got out from her desk and ran out of the office. Bern called after her but Lana paid no mind to her and hurried out the building and to her car. The person on the other line, they said he was alive. And she was sure they were referring to Oliver Thredson. Who else did she believe to be dead? Lana sped all the way to her son's school where she parked the car in no park zone and hurried to the library where Johnny should have been waiting. She passed isle by isle but Johnny was no where to be seen. She hurried to the librarian who sat behind the check out desk but she had not seen him either.

Lana must have ran every red light on her way there for she arrived at her home in no time. Every horrible thought imaginable ran through her mind in those very moments. Some she couldn't even begin to imagine. She parked the car crookedly along the driveway of her home and jumped out of the car. "Johnny!" Lana called as she burst in to the house. She was afraid of what she would find. She half imagined Oliver Thredson sitting in her living room with her son waiting for her. But the house was empty. Lana hurried to Johnny's room; empty. She then hurried to hers, "Johnny!" She stopped when she saw Johnny sit up from her bed. His eyes were heavy with sleep and his dark hair was a mess. Lana gave out a sigh of relief and hurried to him wrapping her arms around him, "Goodness gracious, Johnny. Where were you?"  
Johnny blinked, "Mom," he said, his voice was groggy with sleep. "What's going on?" he asked still in confusion from being snapped awake from his heavy slumber. Lana rubbed his back softly, "Don't worry, baby. I'm here." she paused before she said the following words, "…Mommy's here."

Johnny sat quietly on the couch. Lana had scolded him for walking home but she softened when she saw his teary brown eyes and the bruise that lay underneath one of them. She gasped when she saw his little defeated face and stood threatening to go to the school but Johnny held her back begging her not to. Eventually Lana was able to calm down and reassured her son. Johnny felt bad enough already without her making a storm out of a cup of water. But to her it wasn't just a cup of water. She cleaned his face with a damp hand towel, "Johnny, where are our glasses?" she asked him.  
Johnny averted his eyes, "I dropped them."  
Lana sighed softly, "Oh well, I was planning on getting you a new pair anyway. I'll get your old ones so you could you meanwhile." Johnny only nodded. Lana hated seeing him so upset. She could only imagine how he felt when those boys terrorized him. And she couldn't help to imagine that little baby boy she brought home from the hospital. He was so helpless back then and in a way he still was. "We'll go to the optometrist first thing tomorrow morning."  
"Are we still going to the carnival?" he asked hopefully. Lana sighed and caressed his face. He had been through so much in the past few days alone, "Are you still up for it?" He nodded. "Alright then, baby. To the carnival, we'll go."  
Johnny smiled, "Thanks mom." Lana returned the smile but she felt awful. If only she could have been there to protect him.

x

Oliver sat at his desk. He had found a suitable spot in the basement of the empty house across from the Winter's home. He wanted to be close by to them always. However, before he decided to settle down in the large empty basement, Oliver had lived in a variety of other places. Including an apartment loft close to Lana's place of work. He pointed his brand new freshly made lamp over his desk where he had just finished taping the piece of paper. It had turned out to be a letter in Johnny's hand writing. He fixed his glasses and continued to read:

_Dear Father, _

_I don't know who you are but I have to write this letter for father's day. How are you? Fine I hope. I'm doing well. I'm learning cursive but I am not good at it. My mom helps me practice when she is not busy with work. She works for the newspaper but maybe you already knew. Maybe you met her there. Sometimes I wonder why you don't live with us. It be nice if you did. Well, I have to go now. Take care. Happy Father's day._

_Sincerely, Johnny Winters._

He smiled at the letter as his eyes began to fill with tears. The letter, it wasn't a letter for no one. It was a letter for Bloody Face. And Bloody Face had indeed received his letter.


	8. CH 8- Veracity

**Dear Father**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own AHS

**A/N:** **Been super busy with work and school but I finally managed to sit down and work on this. Thanks again to all of you who have reviewed/favored/followed Dear Father. It means so much! **

**Chapter 8**- Veracity

Lana sat impatiently in the kitchen. She had begun to grow more nervous by the hour. Her hands shook from the nerves and the fear that was starting to creep up behind her once more. She knew Luis was going to have a fit when he discovered that she had left work in the middle of something important (if didn't already know). If he did the phone would be ringing off its hinge right now. But the phone had been dead silent. Perhaps he had called while they were out at the carnival. Lana had not seen Johnny smile that much in a very long time. But her heart broke whenever she saw the bruise on his face. Her poor baby boy. Well, mama bear wasn't going to let it slide so easily. She was going to find those responsible and make sure they were punished. But she had promised Johnny she would not make a big deal of it. She could never say no to him. Her life and her world revolved around him. It was funny how things turned out to be. She loathed Oliver Thredson but she adored the son he fathered.

The entire house was silent. Lana sighed. She stood from the chair pushing the thought aside. She paced back and forth thinking about the phone call she had received at work earlier that day. "_He's alive_" it's all they said. They weren't clear on who they were talking about but of course Lana knew whom they were referring to. Oliver. She shook her head and walked to the kitchen counter where she pulled out a bottle of scotch from a lower cabinet and poured herself a glass. But the alcohol wasn't enough. She needed a smoke to calm her nerves. But it was ridiculous to think Oliver was alive when she herself had killed him. Her bullet had gone right through his neck. The phone call could have been but a mindless prank...but who else knew about her and Bloody Face? She had worked so hard to keep it a secret all these years. It couldn't have been a prank. She had to take this seriously. But it had been almost eight years since his death. If he had lived they would have surely told her. But soon after they took his body Lana left without a trace. And when she stopped the woman from killing the baby growing within her she ran ever farther and when she decided to take him home she moved even farther then that. She kept moving so no one could ever find them. So no one could remind her of Bloody Face. She had been careless. She should have stayed to make sure he rotted in the ground. She took a long drink from her scotch and set the glass down wishing she had a case of cigarettes hiding in the cookie jar like she used to when Johnny was a toddler.

Feeling trapped, she went outside to the backyard for some fresh air. Perhaps the cold night air could calm her nerves and stop her heart from beating so viciously. She leaned against Johnny's swing set and bit back a cry. She began to lose the feelings in her legs so she walked over to one of the swings and sat down. The swing set was already there when they moved in and it seemed to lift Johnny's spirits.  
"Mom?" Lana looked up to see Johnny standing in the doorway. He was in his pajamas and his hair was messy. "Johnny." she said surprised to see him.  
Johnny frowned lightly at the sight of his mother crying, "What's wrong, mom?" He asked. Lana shook her head and wiped away her tears, "Nothing baby, I'm fine. Go back inside and I'll be there in a moment, ok?"  
Johnny looked at his mother unsure and nodded, "Okay." and hurried inside as he was told.

Lana wiped away the incoming tears. She had to think of something but all she could think about was him, _Oliver Thredson_. She had lived with his ghost for many years and that alone was enough to torment her. That phone call. It was a warning. A warning she should have not been ignoring. It was then Lana smelled it, the sweet smell of nicotine smoke. She looked to the next yard over where a little old woman stood on her back yard porch having a smoke. Lana's lips parted at the sight of the beautiful escape and stood walking over to the wooden fence. She starred at the little old woman. She was her neighbor's grandmother. A quirky little woman. "Excuse me," Lana's voice was almost a whisper. The old woman turned to her. Lana looked at her cigarette, "Do you mind if I bum a smoke?" The old woman took one good look at Lana and stepped off the porch handing her a cigarette and brought out a lighter lighting her smoke. Lana inhaled the warm relief; letting it fill her lungs to burst, it had been many years since she had a smoke and at that moment it was one of the best things she had ever had. Lana missed smoking almost as much as she missed sex with Wendy. She let the smoke back out in to the night as she tilted her head to the sky. "Oh thank you," she said mostly to herself.

"Looks like you really needed that" the old woman said. Lana looked to her remembering she wasn't alone, "Yes, thank you."  
The old woman nodded, "You're that little boys mother, the one with the glasses?"  
"I am." She said giving the old woman her attention. The woman nodded and took a drag from her smoke, "Sweet boy. Now, what's got you out here like this? You look like you haven't had a smoke in years."  
"That's because I haven't" she answered.  
"Ah," the old woman said, "Well that's a shame."  
"It is." Lana lowered the cigarette down feeling somewhat guilty for breaking her streak. "Gave it up for your boy?"  
"Yes." Lana answered.  
The woman nodded, "You must love him then. I gave up smoking for my daughter and look at me now, can't enjoy a smoke without her pestering me. Have to sneak it out here."

Lana took another long drag. She didn't know why she was out there with the old woman small talking but it seemed to calm her- that or the cigarette. "Sometimes we just need some kind of escape." Lana said as she put out her finished cigarette leaving only the butt. The old woman nodded in agreement.

Johnny sat on his bed and exhaled. It was then something caught the corner of his eye and he frowned to find his glasses on his night stand. He was sure he had dropped them when the boys tackled him to the ground. He picked them up and studied them. Someone had attempted to fix them.

"Johnny?" Lana walked in to his room. Johnny looked up startled. He hid his glasses under the covers.  
"Yes?"  
"Johnny boy, why are you still awake?" Lana asked as she took a seat on his bed.  
"I can't sleep." He answered.  
Lana smiled weakly and ran her fingers through his hair, "All that cotton candy finally got to you, didn't it?" He nodded. Johnny tilted his head to the side, "Mom, why do you smell funny?"  
Lana then realized she still smelled of smoke, "Johnny," She said avoiding his question. She said his name in a tone Johnny knew very well. It was the same tone she had when she told him he was going to private school or when she was going to make a drastic change like moving again. So he braced himself. "I was thinking maybe you and I could take a little vacation." Lana knew it wasn't the perfect time to leave town. She and Luis were on the verge of cracking a new story with the disappearance of Mrs. Clayton but the phone call had left her on edge. She couldn't risk it.  
Johnny looked at her for a moment, uncertain of how to respond, "A vacation?"  
Lana nodded, "Yes. A tiny vacation. Just you and me."  
"No one else?" He asked wearily.  
Lana shook her head, "No one else. Just the two of us." She placed her hand on his and gave it a small squeeze. Johnny smiled too, "Okay." He liked the sound of it. They had never gone on vacation before. Besides the countless times they had moved when he was younger but that did not count. "Where?"  
"Anywhere." She said, "Anywhere you want." Johnny pondered for a moment, "Um, can we go to Australia?"  
Lana laughed lightly. She could feel the tears threatening to break, "All the way down there?"  
Johnny nodded, "Yeah, they have koalas and kangaroos and all kinds of animals."  
Lana nodded, "Fine, Australia it is."  
Johnny grinned, "Cool."  
"Very cool." Lana agreed. "Now, how about you try and get some sleep. Its late." Johnny nodded and let her tuck him in, "Koalas and kangaroos," She said in amusement as she kissed his forehead goodnight.  
"Night, mom."  
"Goodnight, baby. Sweet dreams."

It was around three in the morning and Lana had had her fourth glass of scotch. The one cigarette had not been enough and the voice on the phone had begun to plague her. She knew all the scotch was not the answer but she found no other escape to settle her nerves. And then it was when _he_ appeared again. Standing behind her like always. "Don't you think you've had enough?" His voice spoke ever so soothingly yet she found it to be so condescending. Everything she did, it was never good enough for Oliver Thredson's ghost.  
"Oh, shut up," Lana sighed as she reclined against her chair. The alcohol had begun to make her head spin. She was too exhausted and too stressed to deal with an imaginary voice; especially when liquor had touched her lips. After her simple response she remained quiet and continued her work the best she could. She didn't want to feel insane any longer. But concentrating was proving to be quite difficult. Her vision began to blur from the alcohol that invaded her body. She stood to her feet and walked across the living room. She had forgotten to close the window this time letting the fresh night air in to the house. She hovered over the small table against the wall where she had placed her bottle of scotch. Next to the bottle was a school photograph of Johnny in the first grade; dressed nicely in his school uniform. She poured herself a fifth drink and tilted her head back to let the strong liquor pass her lips. Oliver's ghost's looming presence was such a distraction. However, she often found herself thinking of him. The way his body pressed hard against hers. The feeling of his warm breath against her skin lighting goose bumps along the way. And the way his strong hands made themselves ever so welcome on her body. Lana closed her eyes and fought back the tears. Those thoughts remained to torture her. How she hated them. If only forgetting was that easy. But it was a high cost she had to pay. A high cost for a good story. And now he haunted her dreams and plagued her days with countless unnecessary memories of his voice and of his touch. His presence made it impossible for her to move on in life. That's all she ever wanted. To forget his voice and his touch. To forget every single atrocity he had done to her.

She had fought with herself so many times over the same thing. She wished he had never laid eyes on her outside of Briarcliff but that wish would come at a great price: the existence of her son. If he had never done so, Johnny would not be alive. Oliver had truly provided her with the biggest happiness she could have ever asked for. And deep inside she hated herself, for it felt like a betrayal to Wendy. If she could choose to have one at that very moment, she would choose Johnny. It would always be him. And the very truth hurt her. And she knew it must have hurt Wendy wherever she was. But Wendy would have understood. The children, she always worried about the children after all.

"He's beautiful." Oliver's voice suddenly crept up from behind her. He stood by her desk where he picked up a smaller framed photo of Johnny from when he was only two years old. "Who would have thought that the two of us, such horrid people, would make such a precious child. Am I right?"  
Lana froze. His voice was so real this time. It had always sounded real. As if he was truly alive. But this time his voice sent chills down her spine and her skin instantly covered in goose bumps. His presence felt very much real.

"He has the best of both of us," She admitted out loud, letting herself speak to his ghost. Little did she know, his ghost was very much alive and not a part of her imagination at all. The Oliver she was now speaking to was on the side of reality. "But to be quite honest with you, Oliver, there never was anything good about you." Her words slurred.  
Oliver chuckled softly but her words had a way of stinging him, "I appreciate your veracity, I really do."

She looked up for a moment and slowly turned around to see Oliver standing there. The walls danced around him as the liquor began to hit her harder. She was starting to lose sense of almost everything. Stuck between reality and a drunken stupor. But he looked so different from the ghost that appeared to her during all those years. There was something so off about him. So terrifyingly real. It was then she realized it…he _was_ real.

He smirked at her, "Did you miss me, Lana?" Lana took half a step back crashing against the table and muttered an incoherent response before her vision blurred and everything went black. Oliver smiled, "I'll take that as a yes."


	9. CH 9- Daddy's Home

**Dear Father**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own AHS

**A/N:** Once again thank you to everyone who has reviewed/followed/favored Dear Father. Means so much! Well, enjoy~

**Chapter 9**- Daddy's Home

He caressed her face softly. He had been waiting for so long. He'd be a liar if he said he had not dreamt of it during all those years. Lana Winters was truly a curse he could not escape. When she collapsed in the living room he had picked her limp body off the ground and taken her to her room where he laid her upon her bed and watched her sleep. Her body was heavy with alcohol and the burdens of every day life. He knew life would not have been so difficult for her if she would have accepted him in her life and that of their son's. But she had chosen the hard way. He ran his hand down her neck and on to her collarbones where he let his fingers brush the skin that tightened over bone. The skin he missed so much. His knuckles gently brushed her loose dark red hair. It was a bit longer then he remembered. Oliver fought hard against it but he had to admit that he still wanted her. Even after she had attempted to kill him, he still longed for the warmth of her body. There was so much of her that he wanted. For he still saw himself in her. She had fought hard to survive him and here she was still fighting; nurturing what he helped create. It made him want to laugh with joy at the thought that she adored and cared for a part of him. But the anger within him still raged inside, slaughtering the joy he allowed himself to feel for the fragment of a second. The thought that she had abandoned him left him so cold. She had left him like that woman who had brought him to life. But she had been abandoned too. They were the same, she and him. And he had tried so hard to make her see that. Well, he would just have to try harder.

Lana stirred in her sleep bringing his attention back to her. Her breathing became labored as if she were having a nightmare. But whatever she was dreaming was far better then what awaited her when she awoke. Oliver looked over her expression and a smirk brushed his lips. How he wanted her to awake there and then. He patted her cheek softly and sang her name, "Lana, wake up, Lana."

Lana felt like she was drowning. A part of her was forcing to wake to the sound of the voice that sang her name. But the other part was lost in a heavy slumber and she struggled to come to. Slowly her eyes opened but her vision remained blurry. The ceiling was the first to meet her eyes followed by his face looking down at her. A blurred smile crossed his face and a muffled voice spoke, "Ah, there you are. Rise and shine, mommy."

Lana tried to respond to the voice but the alcohol weighed her down like an anchor and she slipped back in to darkness. In the dark the same voice called her name over and over begging her to wake up. She tried to call back to it but her voice was lodged in her throat making it impossible to respond. She tried to move her body but it was heavy and numb. She had lost all control of herself. She groaned in her sleep and forced her eyes open once more. "Come on, wake up now. Johnny needs you."

"Johnny?" she muttered his name. At that instance the fear irrupted within. She fought her eyes to open but her lids were heavy like led. The blurred face and the voice became clearer and clearer making her panic. "Johnny." She felt the name escape her lips but she wasn't sure if she had dreamt it. When her eyes opened she saw his face. Oliver Thredson looking back at her, "Come on Lana, we're waiting." She tried to scream but her voice remained locked deep inside.

"Mom?" Johnny's sweet voice followed. "Mom!"

Lana's eyes fluttered open greeting the bright morning. "Mom!" Johnny's small hands shook her wide awake. Lana gasped and sat up. Her hands flew to her face where she felt the lingering feelings of cold hands. The sun was seeping in through the blinds. She then looked to Johnny who stood at her bedside dressed in his school uniform. "Johnny?" She spoke. Her head was throbbing and the walls were spinning like a merry go round. She was filled with confusion. For a moment she didn't know what day it was or where she was.

"Come on mom, I'm going to be late." Johnny tugged on her hand and hurried out of the room. Lana looked around the room but it was empty. A dream. It had all been a dream. She closed her eyes for a moment. But it felt so real. "Mom, hurry!" Johnny called from the other room.

"I'm coming." She called back and forced herself out of bed. The hangover was worse then she had been expecting. Of course, Lana had not drank that much in years. It had completely crept up on her. She made her way in to the bathroom where she stumbled in. She had totally let herself go and the shame was painful. But there was an intense fear lodged all the way in her core that she could not shake off. Lana cleaned herself up and washed her face in the sink. When she pulled her face from the fresh towel she noticed something in the mirror and looked up. There on her neck was a small faded red splotch. She frowned at it and looked closer. It was like a soft splotchy bruise. At that moment she got a quick flash of lips upon her skin. She jumped at the memory she was sure was nothing but a dream.

"Mom!" Johnny called from the living room.

Lana's senses went wild. Panic set in and she hurried out of the bathroom and in to the living room where Johnny was standing by the door ready to go. He looked at her with big brown eyes. Lana froze for a moment but hurried to him kneeling down to his level and pulling him in to a hug. She placed her hand behind his head and buried her face in his white uniform polo. The fear within her was so intense. The nightmare of Oliver had left her in shambles. It had been so real. She had been so preoccupied with all the demons and the missing bodies that she had not been thinking straight. His safety and his well being were her main priority. He would always be her main priority.

"Mom, you okay?" Johnny broke the silence. Lana pulled away from him softly and looked in to his brown eyes. Soft, precious and oh so innocent. "I'm just going to school," he said, "I'll be back later." He gave her a small smile.  
Lana smiled at him trying her hardest to fight back the tears, "I know, baby, I know." She brushed his cheek softly with the tips of her fingers. "But, listen, how about you don't go? You stay here with me and we'll leave to Australia."  
Johnny frowned, "And not go to school?"  
She nodded, "What do you say?"  
"When are we coming back?" Lana looked in to his big brown eyes.

They were so innocent and clueless to her suffering. But she wanted to keep them that way. She didn't have that heart to answer him the truth. Never. They were never returning. "I don't know," She said instead, "But it'll be a very, very long vacation."  
Johnny's eyes saddened, "Okay. But can I go one last time? The Book Fairs today." He said, his eyes lighting up once more. "My class goes after lunch."

Lana kept her eyes on his. She wanted nothing more than to keep him home where he would be safe and sound. No book was worth his safety and at that moment Lana couldn't shake the feeling that they were in danger away. But Johnny looked forward to the Book Fair every year. "Please?" he begged. Lana sighed and nodded. She quickly wiped the tears away from her eyes. Her poor baby boy. She would grant him one last wish before she tore him from everything he ever knew.

She grabbed his hands before he became distracted, "Johnny, listen to my baby." She had his full attention; "You can go one last time for the book fair but please, please, be safe. Stay with your classmates and in view of your teacher. Don't you go wandering off by yourself and please _do not_, I repeat, _do not_, talk to any strangers. Do you understand me?" Johnny looked in to his mother's eyes concerned but he didn't argue. He nodded slowly. Lana gave his hands a small squeeze. "I'll pick you up after school in the office. _Do not_ walk home. Don't wait for me outside. Wait where the teachers are. Okay?"  
"Okay." He said. Lana sighed and stood to her feet. Perhaps having Johnny at school would give her time to get everything together and pack.

After she quickly got dressed, she and Johnny hopped in to the car and were off. The drive to his school felt longer then usual. And Lana could not rid herself of the paranoid feeling eating away at her. It wasn't long before his school came in to view. He perked up excitedly. The bell had just rung and children were filing in lines to go inside. "You have your inhaler, baby?" She broke the silence.

"Mhm," he answered and grabbed his things. "Remember, wait for me." She said to him. Johnny nodded and opened the car door to get out. Lana grabbed his hand not wanting to let him go. "I love you, Johnny. Be safe."  
"I love you too, mom." He said and he was off. His hand slipped out of hers leaving her cold and empty and filled with regret upon letting him go. But he was gone before she could call him back.

All the way home, Lana couldn't shake the strange lingering feeling. She felt as if her body had been violated in some manner. When she arrived home she parked the car in the driveway and hurried to the front door. The neighborhood was quiet. Everyone had taken their children to school and gone to work. Lana closed the door shut behind her and hurried to her room. From inside the closet she fetched her suitcase and placed it on the bed. It was then the scent hit her. A smell she had never forgotten. The particular smell of nutmeg was emanating from the kitchen. Lana had gone in to the house in such a hurry that she hadn't recognized the smell right away.

"Oh, you're back." His voice spoke breaking the silence. Lana froze and her eyes slowly went to the door where Oliver Thredson stood. "Hello, Lana." He smiled. Lana stumbled back against the nightstand where a framed photograph of her and Johnny fell to the floor. Lana starred at him, a scream lodged in her throat. Her eyes scanned his face trying to debate if it was his ghost or not. Her mind was a jumbled mess. "You look quite surprised," He spoke, "I suppose that's to be expected." The scream lodged in Lana's throat managed to wiggle free and escaped her lips. Oliver shook his head, "Oh, Lana. You know screaming won't help."

Lana shook her head in utter disbelief, unable to accept the reality, "No, you're not real. I'm imagining things." her hand went to her forehead. Lana had seen his ghost many times before. This was sure to be another occurrence. Her entire body trembled violently.

Oliver stepped forward, "I can assure you, Lana, I am very much alive." He lifted his hand to her face and brushed the back of his fingers against her cheek. Lana's eyes widened at his touch. His ghost never touched her. He never felt real. This Oliver was not a ghost. He was real. Her eyes widened in horror, "You can't be- I killed you. I killed you!"

Oliver stepped back, buried his hands in his pockets, pressed his lips together and shook his head, "Apparently not."  
"H-how?" She stammered. Her body shook violently. "I guess you can say it was fate." He gave her a crooked smile.  
Lana glared at him, "You sick son of a bitch. You should be dead. I buried you."  
He closed the door with lock behind him, "Tsk, tsk, tsk. That's no way to speak to the father of your child. Now is it?"

Lana immediately thought of Johnny and her soul jumped out of her body. Part of her was happy she had taken him to school but the other screamed at her for not running sooner. But how long had he been inside her home? How long had he been watching them? There were so many questions, so much she didn't understand She had lived eight years believing he was dead. But he wasn't, he was alive. Lana stood there immobilized as her entire world came burning down. "The phone call," She said, "It was about you. They warned me…but, but I didn't listen…"

Oliver frowned lightly, not knowing what she was referring to, "You leave me stumped, Lana."  
She put two and two together and horror covered her face, "You killed Mrs. Clayton." Oliver smiled but did not answer. He didn't have to for his wicked smile was enough of an answer. Lana began to hyperventilate, "This can't be happening." The walls began to dance again and her knees became weak. Oliver took a step forward once more. Lana backed away, "Stay away from me!" She warned, "Don't come near me, Oliver. Or I swear-"  
Oliver remained calm, "Or you'll what? Kill me again?"  
"I won't miss this time." Lana glared at him.

"And with what do you plan on killing me with? That small gun hidden under your nightstand?" Lana panicked. How did he know about that? "Well don't bother. I have removed every weapon or possible weapon from the house while you slept last night." "Last night?" Lana suddenly remembered all the blurry images she had thought were dreams. "Yes, Lana, last night. I don't recall you being quite the drinker but it does make me happy that you gave up smoking for our son's health- even after your little slip last night."

Lana remained mute. She was still baffled and trying to force herself awake but she already was awake. She had woken up in a nightmare. She believed he was dead but he had been watching them all along, "How?" She asked again wanting to understand.

Oliver exhaled, "The bullet you thought had killed me only grazed me. You didn't kill me, Lana. And when I was well enough, I came to find you. Of course, it took me a long time to do so. Well, to be honest, it wasn't too difficult. But you know, with the neck wound and all." Lana looked at the scar on his neck. The bullet she had believed to take his life had only grazed him. He had been believed dead. "The doctors were quite surprised to find my heart still beating. Shocked, really." Oliver said as he looked down to the bed remembering it all, "I was in critical condition for almost a year. When I was well enough they gave me a trial date. And since they couldn't find you, Lana, they didn't have much to accuse me of." His dark eyes landed upon her. Lana felt the fear return like a dear old friend all the way from her core. He smiled at her, that wicked smile she could not erase from her most horrid dreams, "I really have to thank you for that, Lana. Thanks to your little disappearing act I was able to avoid the chair." he leaned back.

"But the tape…" She trailed off unable to believe that they never tracked her down to tell her he was alive. That after so long she never found out. She felt so foolish.  
"Oh, the tape. That marvelous tape was only enough to assure me a room at Briarcliff. I didn't last long there, however. I was able to escape so easily as if I was never there…" his eyes wandered down Lana's body. They looked so composed. It was that calmness that Oliver had that terrified Lana. She never knew when he was going to snap.

He lifted his eyes back to her; studying her ever so closely, "My first priority, of course, was to find out what you did with my child- _our_ child. I did a little snooping here and there to find out that you indeed gave birth." He smiled softly when he spoke about their son, "On November 16th, 1965. 9:16 PM. A baby boy. 7 pounds, 3 ounces. At North Shore Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts." Lana looked at him horrified. He knew so much that she couldn't imagine what he had done to get that information. Oliver sighed, "How I wish I could have been there to witness the birth of my only son. Its a shame." His eyes landed on her with all the blame in the world. But he remained calm through it all, "I was ready to search through every single foster home and orphanage in the state when I found out that you had kept him. To be truly honest with you, Lana, I was relieved. However, I was also concerned. You see, I wasn't sure where our son would receive more rejection- in the system or in _your_ care."

Lana glared at him when he said this. True, she had no intention or interest in keeping Johnny when he was first born but things changed. She changed. Oliver ignored the hate emanating from her eyes and continued, "Johnny was over a year old when I first saw him. At first I couldn't believe my eyes." he smiled at the memory, "He was so beautiful, such a precious child eager to run and explore anything that came his way. He was indeed a happy child, wasn't he?"

"Yes." Lana whispered.

Oliver nodded, "And how I envied you." Lana landed her eyes upon him. His calm wall was beginning to crumble, "You never wanted him, Lana. You were ready to rid yourself of him with that dirty coat hanger of yours. You didn't deserve to watch him laugh and grow." he gritted the words through his teeth, "You didn't love him I like I did."

Lana glared at him finding the courage to speak, "You're wrong." She said, "I love my son more then you could ever imagine, Oliver. And if you think for one second that you could have given him more then I could have then you're fooling yourself. Because Johnny deserves more then to have a father like you."  
"No," Oliver shook his head unable to take her words.  
"Johnny can never know his father is a psychopath. I swear to you Oliver you will never have the pleasure to hear him call you daddy."

"Enough!" Oliver snapped. He hurried to Lana placing his hands around her neck, "I could have given him the world. I would have moved heaven and earth for him!" His eyes bore in to her but never did Lana look away. "But you never gave me that chance. You stole it from me!"

Lana struggled to breathe and when Oliver saw the color drain from her face he forced himself to let her go. He backed away from the bed where she had fallen, panting from all the uncontrolled rage. Lana coughed as her lungs began to fill with air once more. She looked at Oliver now fully persuaded of his existence, "What are you going to do now, Oliver? Kill me and play daddy? What are you going to tell my son? Will you tell him the truth? That you killed his mother, the only person he's ever known in his life?"

Oliver's eyes darted at her. He had truly not put much thought in to it. Of course, he knew if he killed Lana who would care financially for his son when he was unable to? He never gave the strong bond that had built over the years much thought. Not until he saw them together. But now it was ever so present. His silence unsettled her but she remained firm. She had been living with his ghost for so long that now having him before her- it almost made no difference. However, with his ghost, she could shut him out. Make him disappear. But not with the real Bloody Face.

"It seems that I have come to an impasse." He said.

Lana had heard those words before and she braced herself with what was to come. "When I left Briarcliff I had every intention on finding you and killing you. But upon seeing the strong bond you had built with our son I was unsure of how to even go on. Seeing you interact with him that day in the garden, well, it changed many things. I won't lie to you, Lana, but it stumped me. I was unsure of how to go on. And then out of the blue you disappeared again. You took our son and moved." His eyes fell to the ground remembering the feeling of loss and ineptness he felt, "It took me even longer to find you the next time. I was still recovering from your lovely gift...By then Johnny was already seven. And during those long years I harbored a hate so strong." his eyes wandered up to her and he walked towards her until he was at the end of her bed. "Because you had stolen him from me once more."

"Oliver," Lana spoke softly, "I cannot steal what does not belong to you…"

This set Oliver on a rampage. He picked up the lamp and through it across the room where it crashed against the wall making Lana jump. "He's my son! _My_ son!" He approached her and grabbed her chin with a tight grasp and tilted her head back so her eyes met his, "And believe me, Lana, when I say that you will _not_ rob me of him again."


End file.
